NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

July 18, 2024

Sandro Schwarz

Press Conference

New York Red Bulls 2, Montreal 2

Q. Six out of seven games have been draws. The chances are there. But the chances are becoming a little bit more, it seems like easier to put the ball in the net. It's just not going back there. Have you had a conversation with the guys about missing these opportunities that are right there?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: For sure, we have conversations about this topic and I think the first half, it could stay on 2-0, 3-0 in the first half. And beginning after this break, we had also some chances to score. And then this was the first shot from Montréal, the free kick situation, concede the goal and then we lose. Then our principle is we lose, then, control of the game.

Then we had a lucky moment with 2-1 and after that, simple mistakes, and so then at the end it's 2-2, and we are very disappointed about the result for sure.

Q. It seems 90 seconds the game unraveled and got away from you guys. Was it like a lack of focus or anything starting with the red card with Nealis and snowballed? What did you discuss with the team shortly after the final whistle? Because you guys didn't get off the field but there was a conversation.

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Again, we analyzed the moment but it was not a tactical point we analyzed. It was more the communication we need and not to lose our mind. I think this is necessary what we have to do then, especially when you have difficult moments in the game, and this was -- after this 2-1, you have the result on your side.

In these moments you have to be clever. You have to be clever. You have to be clever with the ball, and I think in this moment, we made also a simple mistake losing the ball and then the penalty situation, red card and after that it was very difficult.

And then to your answer, at the end yes we have the situation with Lewis Morgan but after this red card, it's very difficult to come back. But to be honest, we have to create these moments, especially in the first half, and then we need also these goals.

Q. What have you seen from Dante Vanzeir these past couple of games, and how do you handle it when a striker is going through a little bit of a rut?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, we talked a lot about, first of all, his work on the field with the team, especially then with Lewis Morgan, a lot of good moments in the pressing behavior.

But yeah, we know also these moments and these chances then, especially the first half, which he had. But we have to push him and to analyze what he can improve in these moments. But at the end, then we have to push him and we have to help him and then hopefully he will score then for us.

Q. Obviously a great performance for most of the match. Montréal, two shots, two goals, the free kick and the penalty. Was there any message to the group specifically about discipline in the late moments of that match?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: It's more when it becomes difficult, some moments and then we have to communicate. We have to help each other, and then some moments, is more that they are working hard for themselves and not as a team then in some moments, and this is what we said directly in our locker room. This is what we need.

And for sure, it was -- to be honest it was the first 60 minutes, 65 minutes. It was a good game. But at the end, it's 2-2, and it's two less than if we play like the first 60, 65 minutes. Then you want to win. Then you want to go home with three points and that's it. And today, it's a bad feeling for us.

Yeah, and now we have 68 hours maybe time for Saturday against Cincinnati National Team. It's good. It's good that we have now three days later the next game, and to hopefully it helps us then to get another feeling.

Q. So obviously taking on FC Cincinnati coming up on Saturday, a very good team. What's the main goal to get this win on Saturday against a very good squad?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: We won in the first game against Cincinnati, so we know how we can beat them. But it's a very good team for sure and we will analyze this now the next hours, and it starts directly now to analyze Cincinnati when they are playing with three center backs. I think Acosta didn't play today.

We will see how then is the structure. At the end, how is the structure I think will be clear from Cincinnati by who is in the starting lineup from Cincinnati. But we have to -- first of all, we need our focus on our performance, on our behavior and our mentality, and so we showed it a lot of times in this season but in these moments we lose too easy than some points.

Q. I think one of the bright spots tonight was in the first half seeing Ronald Donkor continue to fill that role that Frankie Amaya used to play in the midfield, and he wasn't there in the second half. Seemed like there might have been some medical reason. You mentioned a quick turnaround. Can you speak about Ronald's play and do you think he will be ready for Saturday?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: I don't know. We will see. But for me it was very good in the first half in his behavior in the defense and also in the offense.

Yeah, it was a medical point for the reason then for the substitution in the halftime. We will see. We will check him tomorrow, if he's able to play on Saturday.

Q. Especially in the second half, Carlos made a couple of outstanding saves. This is a player who is coming off his time with the national team in Copa America, he has been a forefront of this team pretty much against Philadelphia, tonight. Feels like he was the reason why he was the reason why you guys earned that point where it could have gone badly. Can you talk about his performance, and especially what you have been seeing from him lately?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, I think today he had the saves after we concede the red card. But his performance today was very well, especially in the last 20, 25 minutes when we had the red card, and he's a very important player, and this is what we need then, also, and that our goalkeeper helps us in difficult moments, and he made it especially then after the national or the Copa America with Paraguay, he made it very well.

Q. Do you have any words for Sean Nealis? Obviously he tried to follow a player before he got into the box but anything you have to say about that play?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: I didn't see it. No, I didn't see it. I only saw on the field, not on the TV. I have to analyze it. It was the end of the situation, and I think the situation starts where we have the ball, and when we lose the ball then in these moments, we had good transition moment, and then we opened the space. They won the ball.

Yeah, then at the end, it's a penalty. I'm not sure if it's a red card but the penalty is clear.

Q. It seems like in a majority of these games this year, you've played well enough to earn the three points but end up dropping points and only getting the one. Has it been a bit frustrating for you that you've been drawing a bunch of these games this year?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: For sure. For sure. This is very frustrating to be honest with you. When we play bad, then okay, then you can be happy with one point. But when you have these chances, when you have this performance after 60, 65 minutes, for sure, I can't be happy and to sit here now and give the best answers. Hopefully I have good answers, but this is frustrating.

Everything also what we want is to win games, to create these emotions and create these emotions after winning games. We miss this now. We have to analyze some draws different. Then especially you see the draw against Colorado is different, we have o analyze to compare this game for today.

Q. Do you think you need to go to the market and sign a more experienced central midfielder? Because Donkor is 19, and all the other guys are 21. Do you see a need for a more experienced midfielder?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: I'm not this coach now that we need some players or something like that, no. We have enough experience for sure. This is our job and I said this in every press conference. It's our job and our responsibility to look at what we can do.

But our identity is clear. It's very clear how we want to play. It's very clear, also, that we want to develop with a young team, and I don't want to talk now about other players or something like that. I'm only talking about our team and we can improve in some moments, and we have to learn.

This is then the part of our job that we have to learn in these moments, but after the game, it's difficult to accept this to be honest for myself. But yeah, we have to analyze this and improve, and hopefully then to give the right answer on Saturday.